Book Review of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies — Movie Storybook

Rating: ★★★★★/★★★★★

A few hours after watching the third and final movie in The Hobbit franchise, I had the good fortune to browse this 48 pages of captivating book. Covering Bilbo's encounter with Smaug the dragon at the end of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug until the climatic battle in this film, it features an exquisite selection production stills complete with a very brief description of the major events that occurred along the way.

The Movie Storybook certainly flesh out some of the pivotal scenes that were not explained in the film. Having not read The Hobbit where these three Peter Jackson helmed movies were adapted from, For instance I do not quite understand why the Necromancer kept Gandalf alive in his fortress at Dol Guldur instead of killing him. I now know this was because he was seeking information of the whereabouts of the three Elven rings from the grey wizard. Another example is King Thranduil's insistence that the Woodland Elves go to war with Thorin and his company of dwarves. We are told that Thranduil would like to take back what was owed to him. He was actually referring to the jewels of Lasgalen which had been passed to Thorin's grandfather, Thrór, to be fashioned for his queen. However the dwarven king refused to return the jewels and the animosity between elves and dwarves grew from there.

As much as I enjoy reading the book, I am slightly disappointed that the The Movie Storybook does not conclude where the film ends and readers are left wanting to know more. I understand that movie tie-in books are published before the final cut of the film is ready but I do so wish that it should have been included. Nevertheless I recommend to get this spoiler free book to prepare yourself before going to the cinema. Or if you are like me and have already watched it, you may want to remember the story and relive it again.